Repairing slide fasteners



-Nv. 21, 1950 A. H. BENSON REPAIRING SLIDE vms'rmms Filed Aug. 31.', 1945 IN VEN TOR. ALBERT H. BENSON ATTORN EYS Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE 10 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, w28; 370 O. G. 757) slide fasteners of the general type comprising opposed rows of interengageable fastening elements mounted on webs, or the like, for joining and separating the latter by the operation of a slider along the rows of fastening elements. The i invention provides a method for repairing such slide fasteners and a blank for use in practicing the method.

The purposes of the invention are to provide for restoring damaged slide fasteners to a rugged and durable condition without impairing their operative eiiciency and to accomplish these results in a simple and efficient manner and in a minimum of time.

For attaining these desirable objectives, the Li" invention provides for removing damaged fastener elements by cutting away a portion of the web on which they are mounted. This cut away web portion may then be replaced by another web portion of like pattern having th-e same if number and kind of undamaged fastener elements similarly mounted thereon. Suitable reinforcing material may be secured about the substituted fastener elements and to the replaced web portion on which they are mounted, :rn and preferably also about adjacent fastener elements of the same row as well as to the web on which these adjacent elements are mounted. In this way the replaced web portion may be secured to the main web and the substituted fastener elements may be held in proper alignment with fastener elements of the same row.

The reinforcing material may be and preferably is furnished as a preformed blank having, preferably along its mid portion, a longitudinal row of transversely extending slots through each of which a fastening element may protrude while the reinforcing material between the slots fits between adjacent fastening elements substantially at the marginal edge of the Webs on which the fastening elements are mounted. It then becomes possible to provide a satisfactory and durable repair by securing the reinforcing material to the webs on which the fastening elements are mounted.

The features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary top plan View of the slide fastener which has been repaired in ac cordance with this invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, sections along the lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of an insert;

Fig. 5 is an edge view of a blank illustrating the manner in which it may be folded in repairing a fastener, and

Figs. 6 and '7 are plan views of different forms of blanks which may be used in repairing a slide fastener.

In the embodiment selected for illustration, a slide fastener indicated generally at II), comprises opposed rows of interengageable fastening elements ll having their body portions I2 mounted on webs IS and ld for joining and separating the webs by operation of a slider (not shown) along fastening elements Ii. For purposes of illustration it may be assumed that, for example,

three fastening elements on web I3, such as those indicated at I6, have been damaged and require repair. This may be accomplished in accordance with this invention by cutting away from the web I3 a portion I'i of any suitable pattern such as that indicated by the dotted line I, so as to remove from web I3 with portion I1 only fastening elements which have been damaged. This eut away portion I'i may then be replaced with a portion le (Fig. 4) of like pattern having the same number and kind of undamaged elements II mounted thereon in the same way that other fastening elements are mounted on web I3.

In order to complete the repair, reinforcing material may be secured about the substituted fastening elements II and preferably also about fastening elements of the same row adjacent thereto and then this reinforcing material may be secured to the web I3 and to the replaced web portion I3. For this purpose, a preformed blank of reinforcing material such as the blank 2| in Fig. 6 or the blank 22 in Fig. 7 may be provided. Each of these blanks is formed, preferably along its mid portion, with a longitudinal row of transversely extending slots 23 spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a Width to fit between adjacent body portions I2 of the fastening elements of a row. Each of the slots 23 may be of a width individually to receive a fastening element II and of such a length that when the blank is folded along a line midway of the length of the slots, each of the latter will fit about the body portion I2 with which it is associated so that the folded portions of the blank may lie fiat against web i3.

The blanks, such as those shown in Figs. 6 and 7, may be made of any reinforcing material suitable for the purpose. For the larger type of heavy duty fasteners mounted on relatively heavy canvas for use as gun covers for artillery for example, it is preferred to form the blanks of metal; and sheet copper has been found very satisfactory for this purpose. However, it is contemplated that for smaller types of slide fasteners of the kind usually mounted on lighter and more delicate webs, materials other than metal may be used for forming the blanks of reinforcing material. In some instances, certain grades of leather may be used for fairly heavy duty, and synthetic materials comprising various compositions of well known plastics may be used. Those skilled in this art when informed by this specification will readily select the reinforcing material adequate for this purpose.

When the reinforcing blanks are made of sheet metal as shown in Figs. 6 and 'l' they may be provided with a number of symmetrically disposed holes or apertures adapted to register when blanks are folded about the web I3 for example. The blanks shown in Figs. 6 and 'l may be provided with apertures 24, 25 and 2S along Aone side of the row of slots 23 and so spaced that the aperture 25 will overlie the replaced web portion I9 and apertures 24 and 26 will overlie the main web I3. On the other side of the row of slots 23 symmetrically disposed apertures 21, 28 and 29 are adapted to register with apertures 24, 25 and 26 when the blank is folded as shown in Fig. 1. Any suitable fastening or retaining means may be inserted through these registering apertures and through the intervening webs. Preferably each of the apertures on one side, as the apertures 24, 25 and 28, is provided with an upset annular flange 3l (Fig. 5) which is so formed as to project from the flange toward the fabric when the blank is in the position shown in Fig. l. The annular flanges 3i should have an outside diameter which will permit these anges to pass through their associated holes or apertures on the other side of the blank. When the blanks are formed of metal, it may also be desirable to form additional openings therethrough, such as the arcuate slots 32 (Fig. l) and longitudinal slots 33 to improve the `flexibility of the reinforcement. It will be evident that when these slots are desired, they should be so spaced and arranged as not to impair the strength of the reinforcement. It will also be understood that these openings or slots for improving iiexibility of the blank may be in various sizes and arrangements. Fig. 7 illustrates another arrangement in which the arcuate slots 32 of Fig. 6 are omitted and additional longitudinal slots 34 are provided adjacent the roi of transverse slots 23. A pair of rectangular slots 36 is also provided adjacent each end of the row of latter slots 23.

For illustrating the manner of practicing the invention, it may be assumed that fastener elements indicated at I6 require repair. These may be removed by cutting away a portion of the web i3 on which they are mounted and replacing this cut away portion il with a web portion of like pattern I9, having fastener elements of the same number and kind mounted thereon. A suitable blank, such as the one illustrated in Fig. S, may have its three centrally disposed slots 23 passed over fastener elements I I mounted on the web portion IS and the remaining slots 23 passed over adjacent fastener elements il of the same row, so that the reinforcing material between the slots 23 lies between adjacent fastening elements at the marginal edge of web I3. The blank may then be brought against the upper side of web I3 as shown in Fig. 1, and folded about the marginal edge thereof as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, so as to cause apertures or holes 2l', 28 and 29 to register with the depending annular flanges 3| formed about apertures or holes 2li, 25 and 26. These annular flanges may be pressed through the fabric and through holes 2l, 28 and 2S and peened over the edges of the latter holes as indicated at 3l in Fig. 2. ln this way the reinforcement is firmly secured to the main web I3 and also to the replaced portion I9 and the slots 23 fit about the body portions I2 of the fastener elements, while the reinforcing material between the slots preferably ts snugly between these body portions so as to give additional support and reinforcement to the substituted fastening elements on web portion I9 as well as to adjacent fastening elements of the same row.

What I claim is:

1. In the art of repairing slide fasteners of the type comprising opposed rows of interengageable fastening elements mounted on webs of pliable material for joining and separating said webs by the operation of a slider along said rows of said fastening elements, the improvement which comprises removing adjacent damaged fastening elements from one of the rows by cutting away a portion of the web on which they are mounted, replacing said cut away portion of web with another portion of web of like shape and having a like number and kind of undamaged fastening elements similarly mounted thereon, providing a sheet of reinforcing material having a centrally disposed row of transversely disposed slots spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a width to iit between adjacent fastening elements of said one of said rows, passing said slots over fastening elements on said replaced web portion and over adjacent fastening elements of the same row, and securing said sheet of reinforcing material to said another portion of web and to adjacent portions of the web from which said cut away portion was removed.

2. In the art of repairing slide fasteners of the type comprising opposed rows of interengageable fastening elements mounted on webs of pliable material for joining and separating said webs by the operation of a slider along said rows of said fastening elements, the improvement which comprises removing adjacent damaged fastening elements from one of the rows by cutting away a portion of the web on which they are mounted, replacing said out away portion of web with another portion of web of like shape and having a, like number and kind of undamaged fastening elements similarly mounted thereon, providing a sheet of reinforcing mate- -rial having a centrally disposed row of transversely disposed slots spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a Width to t between adjacent fastening elements of said one of said rows, passing said slots over fastening elements on said replaced web portion and over adjacent fastening elements of the same row, and securing said sheet of reinforcing material about both sides of said another portion of web and of adjacent portions of the web from which said cut away portion was removed.

3. In the art of repairing slide fasteners of the type comprising opposed rows of interengageable fastening elements mounted on the webs of pliable material for joining and separating said webs by the. operation of a slider along said. rows of said fastening elements, vthe improvement which comprises removingA adjacent damaged fastening elements from one. of the rows by cutting away a portion of the web on which they are mounted, replacing said cut away portion of web with 4another portion of web of like shape and having a like number and kind of undamaged fastening elements similarly mounted thereon, providing a sheet of bendable, metallic, reinforcing material having a centrally disposed row of transversely disposed slots spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a width to fit between adjacent fastening elements of said one of said rows, passing said slots over fastening elements on said replaced web portion and over adjacent fastening elements of the same row, and securing said sheet of reinforcing material to said another portion of web and to adjacent portions of the web lfrom which said cut away portion was removed.

4, In the art of repairing slide fasteners of the type comprising opposed rows of interengageable fastening elements mounted on webs of pliable material for joining and separating said webs by the operation of a slider along said rows of said fastening elements, the improvement which comprises removing adjacent damaged fastening elements from one of the rows by cutting away a portion of the web on which they are mounted, replacing said rcut away portion of web with another portion of web of like shape and having a like number and kind of undamaged fastening elements similarly mounted thereon, providing a sheet of reinforcing material having a centrally disposed row of transversely disposed slots spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a width to iit between adjacent fastening elements of said one of said rows, rounding the corners of said sheet of reinforcing material, cutting other openings in said sheet of reinforcing materiall to improve its exibility, passing said slots over fastening elements on said replaced web'portion and over adjacent fastening elements of the same row, and securing said sheet of reinforcing material to said another portion of web and to adjacent portions of the web from which said cut away portion was removed.

5. In the art of repairing slide fasteners of the type comprising opposed rows of interengageable fastening elements mounted on webs of pliable material for joining and separating said webs by the operation of a slider along said rows of said fastening elements, the improvement which comprises removing adjacent damaged fastening elements from one of the rows by cutting away a portion of the web on which they are mounted, replacing said cut away portion of web with another portion of web of like shape and having a like number and kind of undamaged fastening elements similarly mounted thereon, providing a sheet of bendable, metallic, reinforcing material having a centrally disposed row of transversely disposed slots spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a width to t between adjacent fastening elements of said one of said rows, fitting fastening elements of said replaced web portion and adjacent fastening elements of the same row in said slots with the reinforcing material between said slots lodged between the fitted fastening elements substantially at the marginal edge of the webs on which they are mounted, and securing said sheet of reinforcing material to said another portion of web and to adjacent portionsof `the web. from which vsaid cut away portion, was removed.

6. In the art of repairing slide fasteners of the type comprising opposed rows of interengagea'ble fasteningy elements mounted on webs of pliable material for joining and separating said webs by the operation of a slider along said rows of said fastening elements, the improvement which comprises removing adjacent damaged fastening elements from one of the rows by rcutting away a portion of the web on which they are mounted, replacing said cut away portion of web with another portion of web of like shape and having a like number and kind of undamaged fastening elements similarly mounted thereon, providing a sheet of bendable, metallic, reinforcing material having a centraliy disposed row of transversely disposed slots spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a width to fit between adjacent fastening elements of said one of said rows, fitting fastening elements of said replaced web portionand adjacent fastening elements of the same row in said slots .vith5 the reinforcing material between said slots lodged between the fitted fastening elements substantially at the marginal edge of the webs on which they are mounted, folding said sheet of reinforcing material about said marginal edge of said webs substantially flat against both sides of the latter webs so that said slots pass over and fit about the body portions of said fitted fastening elements, and securing the reinforcing material in this position.

7. In the art of repairing slide fasteners of the type comprising opposed rows of in-terengageable fastening elements mounted on webs of pliable material for joining and separating said webs by the operation of a slider along said rows of said fastening elements, the improvement which comprises removing adjacent damaged fastening elements from one of the rows by cutting away a portion of the web on which they are mounted, replacing said cut away portion of web with another portion of web of like shape and having a like number and kind of vundamaged fastening elements similarly mounted thereon, providing a sheet of bend-able, metallic, reinforcing material having a centrally disposed row of transversely disposed slots spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a width to fit between adjacent fastening elements of said one of said rows, fitting fastening elements of said replaced web portion and adjacent fastening elements of the same row in said slots with the reinforcing material between said slots lodged between the fitted fastening elements substantially at the marginal edge of the webs on which they are mounted, folding said sheet of reinforcing material about said marginal edge of said webs substantially fiat against both sides of the latter webs so that said slots pass over and fit aboutV the body portions of said fitted fastening elements, and securing the folded portions of reinforcing material to each other and to the intervening webs.

8. In the art of repairing slide fasteners of the type comprising opposed rows of interengageable fastening elements mounted on webs of pliable material for joining and separating said webs by the operation of a slider along said rows of said fastening elements, the improvement which comprises removing adjacent damaged fastening elements from one of the rows by cutting away a portion of the web on which they are mounted, replacing said cut away portion of web with another portion of web of like shape and having a like number and kind of undamaged fastening elements similarly mounted thereon, providing a sheet of bendable, metallic, reinforcing material having a centrally disposed row of transversely disposed slots spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a width to t between adjacent fastening elements of said one of said rows, fitting fastening elements of said replaced web portion Iand adjacent fastening elements of the saine row in said slots with the reinforcing material between said slots lodged between the fitted fastening elements substantially at the marginal edge of the webs on which they are mounted, and securing said sheet of reinforcing material to said another portion of web and to adjacent portions of the web from which said cut away portion was removed, folding said sheet of reinforcing material about said marginal edge of said webs substantially flat aga-inst both sides of the latter webs so that said slots pass over and fit about the body portions of said fitted fastening elements, and securing the folded portions of reinforcing material to each other and to the intervening webs by pressing material from one folded portion of the sheet of reinforcing material through rthe intervening webs into overlapping engagement with the other folded portion of the sheet of reinforcing material.

9. A blank for use in repairing slide fasteners cf the type comprising opposed rows of interengageable fastening elements mounted on webs for joining and .separating the latter by operation of a slider along said rows of fastening elements, said blank comprising a sheet of reinforcing material having a longitudinal row of transversely extending slots spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a width to ft between adjacent fastening elements of a row substantially at the marginal edge of the web on wif-sh said fastening elements are mounted, said slots being of a width individually to receive .fastening elements of the row, said blank being adapted to be folded substantially midway of the length of said slots about the marginal edge of the webs on which fastening elements are mounted so that the folded portions of said blank lie substantially fiat against the intervening webs, a plurality of upset annular rings on one of the folded portions of said blank arranged to overlie each of the webs on which the fastening elements are mounted, the other folded portion of the blank having apertures registering with said upset annular rings so that the latter may be punched into said registering apertures and peened over the edges thereof.

10. A blank for use in repairing slide fasteners of the type comprising opposed rows of interengageable fastening elements mounted on webs for joining and separating the latter by operation of a slider along said rows of fastening elements, said blank comprising a sheet of reinforcing material having a longitudinal row of transversely extending slots having straight parallel sides and spaced to leave therebetween reinforcing material of a width to t between adjacent fastening elements of a row substantially at the edge of the web on which the fastening elements are mounted, said longitudinal row of slots being centrally disposed on the blank so as to provide marginal portions at each side of said longitudinal row, said slots being of a width individually to receive fastening elements of the row and of a length to t about the body portions of the received fastening elements when said sheet of reinforcing material is folded substantially about the edge of the Web on which the fastening elements are mounted, and integrally formed complementary fastening means on said marginal portions of the blank for securing the latter in folded condition.

ALBERT H. BENSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 796,781 Welsh Aug. 8, 1905 2,020,408 Fruth Nov. 12, 1935 2,057,961 Lamport Oct. 20, 1936 2,122,557 Canter July 5, 1938 2,169,609 Kiessling et al Aug. 15, 1939 2,252,305 Puschner Aug. 12, 1941 2,341,331 Parkin Feb. 8, 1944 

